KUCHING: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leaders are not likely to dwell on issues taking place in the peninsula should they decide to help their coalition partners in campaigning ahead of the Aug 12 elections in six states there.
According to Deputy Minister of Utilities and Telecommunication Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi this is simply because current issues in the peninsula differed from those in Sarawak.
“If Sarawak’s leaders are campaigning there then what they say (during the campaign) will not be relevant,” he told reporters at the Santubong Festival closing ceremony at Kampung Santubong Hall on today (July 9).
“I had that experience when I was a youth leader a long time ago so I think the situation is the same because in Peninsular Malaysia it is not the same as in Sarawak.”
But Abdul Rahman who is Pantai Damai assemblyman said as a party, they are waiting for a decision from GPS chairman Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg on whether any GPS leaders will participate in the campaigns.
Having said that, he pointed out that the state leadership, even before the establishment of GPS, had not been directly involved in campaign activities in the peninsula in the past.
In a related development, he hoped the campaign period in the six states would go smoothly and not cause division among communities there.
“It is hoped that the campaign will be prudent like what happened in Sarawak in the last election.
“Sarawak was able to carry out the campaign systematically without any problems and we also hope the election campaign in the six states will go smoothly,” he said.
Last Sunday, Barisan Nasional (BN) Chairman, Datuk Seri Dr Zahid Hamidi voiced his hope that GPS leaders would be able to take to the field to help BN candidates face the state elections in Kelantan, Selangor, Penang, Kedah, Terengganu and Negeri Sembilan.
Zahid said the proposal had been discussed with GPS secretary-general Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi to bring GPS leaders to help in the campaign.
